Sunday, March 24, 2013

Review: The Swiss Hotel, Sonoma CA

The Swiss Hotel is a bar and restaurant on the lovely town
square of Sonoma, California. It's hard to go wrong with any dining spot in
this upscale version of a Norman Rockwell town, but the Swiss Hotel came highly
recommended by others who had visited Sonoma. The property boasts "a bar
that is virtually unchanged through four generations (since 1909), and walls
covered with a photographic history of the town."

Wood-fired pizza at Swiss Hotel

American ducks with Russian hats like Italian food at Swiss Hotel (apparently)

The menu is centered around Italian fare (just what you’d
expect at a “Swiss” restaurant in California wine country). We made a lunch
visit, and there were several nice choices on the menu, many focusing on pasta.
But because it was a business lunch, I opted to avoid red spots on my white
shirt and chose the personal pizza from their wood-fired oven. Mine was topped
with pepperoni and roasted garlic cloves, and was dusted post-bake with fresh
basil and aged Italian cheese.

Swiss Hotel, on the Square

Interior dining room

The crust was medium thickness. It was not a typical pizza
crust, but more akin to excellent Italian bread both in its texture and flavor.
It was reasonably sturdy and cooked nicely, with an excellent char underneath. None
of the toppings were standouts, but the flavors harmonized and gave me the
sense that Northern Californians are a little like Europeans in regard to food;
even in a “Swiss” hotel, the pizza is going to be crafted with care and a with
a knowledge of fresh, high quality ingredients.

Pepperoni and garlic personal pie

Superb char below

This pie did not rise to the lofty heights of the
destination pizza I enjoyed just one day earlier at Pizzeria Delfina in San
Francisco (review HERE), but it was well-crafted and entirely satisfying; “worth
the calories.” The crust is an 8, the tomato chunks earn a 9, the cheese, garlic, and pepperoni each earn a 7, and the ambiance and service a 9.

Lovely vintage Karmann Ghia spotted in Sonoma

Sonoma Town Square (from Sonomachamber.org)

Overall, the pizza comes in at an 8. Not quite destination pizza, but damn good pizza in a destination town. Sonoma is a charming place, especially for wine drinkers, and I expect to
return. In addition to the nearby “The Girl and the Fig” restaurant, The Swiss
Hotel is a dining spot worthy of repeat visits.